Electric coupling for train-line circuits.



T. R. BROWN.

ELECTRIC COUPLING FOR TRAIN LINE cmcuns. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14 1914. I 1,242,517, Patented Oct. 9,1917.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

40 m afi w. I Y I T. R. BROWN.

ELECTRIC COUPLING FOR TRAIN LINE CIRCUITS.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY I4. I914. 1,242,51 7., Patented 001;. 9,191?

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G -MW OJ. f5. 'IW,

T. R. BROWN.

ELECTRIC COUPLING FOR TRAIN L|NE C|BCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1914.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

m U w nnrrnn snares rn'rnnr cannon THOMAS R. BROWN, 0F SPARKILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE AIR.

BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMEBDI'NG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION DF PENN- SYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC COUPLING- FOR TRAIN-LINE CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented0ct.9,1917.

Application filed July 14, 1914. Serial No 850,990.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. BROWN, a citizen oi the United States, and a resident of Sparkill, in the county of Rockland and tate of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Couplings for Train-Line Circuits, of which improvement the following is a specification. r

This invention relates to mechanism for coupling electric circuits between the cars or other vehicles of a train, and more particularly to that type of electric coupling in which each counterpart head is provided with a movable. contact carrier and a plurality of fixed contacts or fingers connected to the respective train line circuits, one of said carriers-being adapted to beprojected from one coupler head to the other, and

electrically connect the corresponding contact fingers of the two couplers.

One ot the objects of my present invention is to provide improved fluid pressure means for projecting the movable contact carrier, and for'locking the same in its coupledposition; Another-object is to provide improvedmeans for releasing the carriers; and another objectiisto provide'animproved combined car. and electric coupler.

In the accompanying. drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken sub-' stantially on'th'e line 1'1 of Fig.2; Fig. 2, a central horizontal section, showing one form of my'improvedelectric' coupling contained within the car coupler ;'Fig. 3, a fragmentary vertical section taken. on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig.4, a detail view of the rotatablezlocking stem; Fig. 5, a verticallongitudinal section showing two counterpart couplers coupled together Fig. 6, a plan of same; Fig. 7,1a front endor'face view of one of the couplers-;.Fig. 8, avertical longitudi nal section of a modified electric coupling adapted to be attachedtoor suspended from the coupler or draw bar; Fig. 9; a plan of same; Fig. 10, a vertical longitudinal sec-v tion taken substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;: Fig.

12, a detail view of the rotatable locking stem of the modification shownin Fig. 8.

According to the. construction shown in .Figs. 1 to7, my improved electric-coupling 11, a fragmentary transversesection showing the locklng device; and F 1g;

is illustrated in connection with a car coupler, 12, of therigid locktype, and having interlocking hook shaped projections, 14

provided with vertical plane", surfaces in clined at an, angle to the line, of draft, and adapted to engage and interlock with each other by. alrelativ e lateral movement of the coupler heads as the same are brought together in coupling, there being also a pivotedllock (not shown) for holding the parts n coupled-position. Centrally located with} in the casting of the coupler is a chamber containing the electric contacts and devices substantially in; the plane of the meeting.

faces of the couplers, as shown in Fig. 1. For the-purposeiof projecting the slides, one or more cylinders and pistons may be employed, but -according to one-of the features of my improvement, I provide a plurality of pairs-0t telescoping cylindrical sections, one portion, 20, being formed with the carrier, andthe other part, 21, acting against the casting of the-coupler. Each pair of telescoping sections contains a helical spring, 22, which is confined between the head ot'section, 21, and the loosely fitting head, 24:, by means of connecting links,-23,

the head, 24:, being normally at the closed end of the cylinder, 20, when'the parts are in uncoupled position, as indicated in Fig.-

2. By means of this construction, the'cylinders may be of small diameter, about equalto the vertlcal thickness of the carrier, and may be arranged-1n ahorizontal row occu-.

pying a space about equal to the width of the carrier, thus formingv a very compact structure, and so economizlngthe space as to be located entirely within the chamber formed inthe central portion of the coupler casting. I v

- In: order-to lockxthe carrier'in its projected position, a projecting stem, 25, is

mounted in the coupl r casing and fits.

within the cylinder, 26, of the carrier, thereby serving also as a guide for the carrier. The guide, 25, and cylinder, 26, have a groove and pin connection, 27 and and the guide is mounted to have a partial ro-- tary movement when the pin, 28, reaches the end of the longitudinal groove, 27, where there is a short right angled extension to permit a turning movement of the stem, and thereby lock the slide or carrier against a return movement. A small piston, 30, having a stem, 29, provided. with a notch engaging a projection, 31, on the guide stem, 25, is employed for releasing the lock, the piston being located in the cylindrical chamber, 32, and operated in one direction by a spring, 33, and in the opposite direction by fluid pressure, or at certain times by a stem, 34, which may be depressed by hand when the fluid pressure is not available. The guide, 25, is preferably made tubular with a passage through the same for admitting fluid into the cylinder, 26, and from'thence through suitable ports into the several cylindrical sections, 20. In this case, the cylinder, 26, also acts as an additional cylinder to assist in projecting the carrier. Suitable passages, and 36, are provided for the escape of leakage and for supplying fluid under pressure to the unlocking aistons of both couplings through the connecting nipples, 37, when the operating cock on either one of the couplings is manipulated for releasing the locking device, in a similar manner to that set forth in my prior application Serial No. 823,970, filed March 11, 1914. 7

Any suitable form of cock and pipe connections may be employed for supplying fluid to the cylinders for projecting the carrier and for releasing the locking device, but according to another feature of my iin pr-ovement, I provide a valve means by which both functions may be performed with a single cock, and a single pipe connection to the coupling. This valve device comprises a piston valve, 40, normally seated in one position by spring, 41, to close communication to ports, 38 and 36, and the unlocking cylinder, and having asmall by-pass port, 42, for supplying fluid to the projecting cylinders, 20. The supply of fluid to said piston is controlled by the cook, 43, having a small port, 44, and a large port, 45, with the single pipe connection, 46. The piston, 40, also controls an exhaust port, 47, to the atmosphere. The pistonvalve, 40, may preferably be mounted within enlarged cylindrical head, 39, of the rotatable guide stem, 25.

When the couplers are brought together- 'in coupled position, as indicated in Fig. 6,

and it is desired to connect the train line cirturned from its closed position to the position indicated in Fig. 2, with the small port, 44, open. Fluid is thereby supplied slowly through pipe, 46, to the piston, 40, and through the bypass port, 42, to the cylinders, 26 and 20. Under these conditions, the fluid flows through ports, 44 and 42, gradually without accumulating a suflicient pressure on the piston, 40, to cause a movement of the same against the spring, 41. The exhaust port, 47, and port, 48, thus remain closed, and the pressureaccumulat ing in cylinders, 26 and 20, forces the contact carrier, 16, outward against the corresponding carrier in the counterpart coupling, thus compressing the springs, 22, in the cylinders, 20, of said counterpart coupler, and moving both carriers to the coupled position, as indicated in Fig. 5, in which the contact bars, 17, establish electrical connection between the respective con tact fingers, 15, of the circuits through the train. During this movement, the cylinder,

26, slides upon the guide stem, 25, the pin, a

28, moving to the end of the groove, 27, whereupon the spring, 33, acting on piston, 30, and stem, 29, move the same to partially rotate the guide, 25. The pin, 28, is thus thrown into the offset extension of the groove, and locks the cylinder, 26, and the contact carrier against a return movement. The cock, 43, may then be turned back to its normal closed position, and the parts will remain in the coupled position as long as desired, even though the compressed air escapes by leakage from the cylinders, and the pressure is reduced to that of the atmos phere.

lVhen it isdesired to uncouple, the contact carrier must first be Withdrawn, and

for this purpose either one of the cooks, 43, of the counterpart couplers may be turned to the position for opening the large port, 45. Fluid is then supplied to the piston, 40, much more rapidly than it can pass through the restricted by-pass port, 42, consequently a sutlicient pressure immediately accumulates on the piston to move the same against the spring, 41, to its opposite position, thus closing the port, 42, and opening port, 38, and the exhaust port, 47. Fluid then flows through ports, 38, and 36, to the cylinders, of both the interlocking pistons, 30, and either one which happens to be in the upper or looking position is forced downward, thereby turning the guide, 25, so that the locking pin, 28, occupies the longitudinal portion of the groove, 27, and the any relative lateral tilting movement, a spring actuated bolt, 18, may be provided at one side of the coupler, and adapted to engage a clamping surface, 19, on the other side of the counterpart coupler When the same are brought together. 1 v 1 Y I For coupling up the train pip'e lines,- each coupler may be having gasket openings, 50', and hand operated coupling members, 51.

Instead otmounting my improved electric coupling mechanism in the chamber formed within the car coupler casting, it will be apparent that the same may be contained in a separate casing, 12*, adapted to be attached to the coupler, or draw bar,'as shown in Figs. 8 to-12 of the drawings, and in which the corresponding parts are marked with the same reference characters as" in the other figures.- The relative position of some of the'parts, as shown in this modification, is slightly changed, but the operation is the samefas that heretofore described, as will be readily understood. N

Having now described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a casing containing a plurality of fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of a plurality of cylinders tor projecting said car'- rier to electrically connect fixed contacts of counterpart couplings, said cylinders being rigidly connected to said carrier, and means for controlling the admission of fluid to said cylinders.

2. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a casing containing a plurality of fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of a plurality of cylinders for projecting said carrier to electrically connect fixed contacts of counterpart couplings, said cylinders being horizontally arranged and of a diameter substantially the same as the thickness of said carrier.

3. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a. casing containing a plurality of fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of a plurality of cylinders for projecting said carrier to electrically connect fixed contacts of counterpart couplings, said cylinders being formed in telescoping sections supported on said carrier, and means for admitting fluid thereto. 4

4. In an electric train line coupling, the combination'with a casing containing a plurality of fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of a fluid provided with passages pressurecylinder forinedgintelescoping sections for-projecting said carrier'and supportedithereon, and a spring within said cylinder for opposing the inward movement of said carrier." r 1 1 -5.= In an electric train line coupling, the combinationwith a casing containing a plu rality of fixed contactsconnectedto train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of a plurality of cylinders for-projecting-said carrier to elec trically connect fixed "contacts of counterpart couplings, said cylinders being formed in telescoping sections supported on 'said carrier, springsioropposing the inward movementof said carrier, an'dmeans for ad- 7 mitting fluid to said cylinders.

Y "6. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a casing containing a plurality of fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier o having corresponding contacts, of fluid pres- I sure nieansztor projecting said carrier, a rotatable guide forsaid carrier, and "locking means connected with saidguide for holding the carrier in its projected'position.

" 7 In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a casing containing-a plurality 'of xfixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and'a movable'contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of fluid presi sure" means for projecting said "carrier, a

guide and cylinder having a pin and groove connection, and means for partially rotating one of said parts to lock said carrier in its projected position.

8. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a casing containing a plurality of fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of fluid pressure means for projecting said carrier, a guide and cylinder having a pin and groove connection, and a piston for partially rotating said guide.

9. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a casing containing a plurality of fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier havmg correspondlng contacts, a cyllnder,

a tubular guide stem fitting therein, and means for admitting fluid through said guide into the cylinder for projecting said carrier.

10. In an electric train line coupling, the

combination with a casing containing a plus line circuits, and a' movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of a fluid pressure cylinder for projecting said carrier, a locking device for said carrier, a piston for releasing the look, a single pipe connection, and manually controlled valve means for operating the projecting cylinder and the releasing piston,

12. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a casing containing a plurality of fixed contacts connected to train line circuits, and a movable contact carrier having corresponding contacts, of a fluid pressure cylinder for projecting said carrier, a locking device for said carrier, a piston for releasing the look, a piston valve controlling communication to said releasing piston and having a restricted by-pass port communicating with the projecting cylinder, and a cock having ports of different capacities for admitting fluid to said piston valve.

13. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a car coupler having a casing formed with a chamber, of a plurality of fixed contacts mounted Within said chamber and connected to the respective train line circuits, a contact carrier having corresponding contacts, and a fluid pressure cylinder also mounted in said chamber for projecting said contact carrier to electricopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

cally connect the fixed contacts of counterpart couplings.

14. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a car coupler having a casing formed with a chamber, of a plurality of fixed contacts mounted within said chamber and connected to the respective train line circuits, a contact carrier having corresponding contacts, and a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders arranged horizontally within said chamber for projecting saidcarrier.

15. In an electric train line coupling, the combination with a car coupler having a casing formed with a chamber, of a 'plurality of fixed contacts mounted Within said chamber and connected to the respective train line circuits, va contact carrier having corresponding contacts, a fluid pressure cylinder for projecting said contact carrier, a spring actuated clamping bolt at one side of said casing, and a clamping surface at the other side for engaging the corresponding clamping means of a counterpart coupler,

S. W. KEEFER.

Washington, D. C. 

